Having knowledge and not fear is your best way to approach your doctor. The doctors for financial reasons may suggest a colonoscopy and use the fear of cancer to get you to do it. Now for $25 dollars you can buy a FIT test [fecal immunochemical test] from the drug store and check yourself for any blood in your waist if not your chances of having cancer just degreased almost 0. If the test is positive than you have to do something even thou this is not a 100% chance you have cancer it might be you had some meat that allowed the blood to not be digested completely or even hemorrhoids can give you a bad test. Next is to get a high resolution ultrasound it is completely safe and no chance of having your colon be cut or punched. This can give you or doctor the same information as a colonoscopy. He might say you have polyps most all polyps are self induced by eating processed food, gluten, packaged meats [salami, bacon, hot dogs ect.]anything with nitrates or nitrites. Oils heated or oxidized. Is it worth the risk? https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Colonoscopy+Is+It+Worth+The+Risk
I hate to disagree with you again, Martin but my husband died of colon cancer and after age 40 it's recommended my children get tested. My daughter has already done it and her insurance covered it all so cheaper than the $25 anyway. It's important to catch cancers early, then you have a good chance of survival.
My last one (only one) was in Dec. '09. Place where I got it told me I needed one every 5 years, but my wife's PCP told her every 8 to 10 years. That would make my next one next year.
Chrissy Sorry to hear of your husbands problem. I don’t argue or disagree with you I just gain all the facts and make my decision. I do the research and look for ways that we can be healthy. If he had done a fit test he might have caught it early enough. I look for ways to put the responsibility of your heath back in your hands.
It was stage 3 by the time he caught it. He did live 10 years after the surgery and chemo and radiation but it came back and spread.
Sorry he suffered so much. The tumor or polyp is not the disease but a symptom of the disease. This is why the medical system has such a difficult time because they go after the symptom and not the disease and ignore the cause.
This is scary for my husband because his mother had stage 2 colon cancer. And although that was not the cause of her death, doctors say that children of the patient should be aware of the high probability. After the surgery in 2008, my husband's mother recovered but remained weak all throughout the rest of her life until she came back to the Philippines in 2009, just a month before she succumbed to seizure - not clear if it was heart attack or massive stroke. But back to the colon cancer, a colonoscopy can rule out the presence but not the probability. So that means colonoscopy should be included in the annual checkup.
My father died of colon cancer at 54 so I was offered a free 3 yearly colonoscopy, and have had 3 so far, they found and removed three large polyps on the first one but no problems since. It's a pretty routine procedure and gives me peace of mind. My diet is very good so should hopefully avoid that disease.
Two of my closest friends are colon cancer survivors. One was Stage 2 when diagnosed... the other Stage 4. Both are cancer free and have been for 5 years for one and 6 for the other. Each had some unique symptoms and the cancer found with colonoscopies. I've had two colonoscopies, each recommended due to age/time. The first one found "clean pipes". The second, some 10 years later, saw one small polyp removed. I was told to have another in 5 to 7 years. Here, we are blessed with some wonderful medical facilities and professionals. I have had nothing but good care as have the rest of our family. If my family doctor, who I trust with my life, tells me to get a colonoscopy... I'm not going to make any attempt to "shortcut" with an alternative. The procedure is painless and, in my mind, necessary to assure early detection of a killer disease.
Will What did you mean my alternative ultrasound is a medical excepted diagnostic process? If you had said to your doctor that you would rather have that he would probably said OK. The only problem he would not get reimburse for recommending colonoscopy. I am glad it worked out for your friend. I watched by babies first heart beats on a ultrasound and there is nothing more delicate than a baby at that stage so the safety and precision of it is well established. All the best to your friend
I don't think drs can recommend colonoscopies willy nilly and expect to get reimbursed for them. For one thing insurance wouldn't cover it. Second I have never heard my BIl getting reimbursed for any test he recommends.
I just found this thread, and I have a question for anyone that might be able to help me. In '08 I had diverticulitis, and the doctors had to do emergency reconstructive surgery. I lost 1/3 of my intestines and colon. Now to my problem. I have a violent reaction to the prescription stuff they give you to drink to cleanse your system. I have 24 to 36 hours of convulsive vomiting, to the point of my stomach bleeding. I had this test three times, and I just do not think I can do it again. Is an ultrasound really a good alternative to the colonoscopy? I know my doctor is getting close to asking me to get another one. In fact I am sitting in his lobby right now.
Ina Tell your doctor whtyou go through and sugest to him you would like to do something different like ultrasound and see what he says.
I know some doctors don’t read the research but I do in The Journal of Clinical Oncology Volume 16, Issue 8, December 2004, page 549-560 in a study entitled: The contribution of cytotoxic chemotherapy to 5-year survival in adult malignancies, which was based on data from randomized, controlled trails published from January 1990 to January 2004, the conclusion of the authors was for all adult onset cancers, chemotherapy is 97% ineffective. This would stop a normal person from using it but some doctor threaten you that they will not do the surgery unless you go through chemo. Chemo has one of the highest profit of all drug treatments.
Our daughter had ulcerative colitis from about the time she graduated high school. As she aged, it got worse. Doctors kept prescribing medication and it helped sometimes... and not sometimes. It got to where she couldn't leave the house without fear of an accident. Anywhere she went, the first thing she would do was acquaint herself where the restroom was. The condition took over her life. Six years ago, she had the J-pouch surgery. The entire colon was removed. They found 25 bleeding ulcers in her colon, anyone of which could have "blown through" and been fatal. That surgery turned her life around. Tomorrow, she will turn 44 years old. She can smile again. She has her life back. She has taken vacations and trips and has no worries. Also, there is no fear of colon cancer since she does not have a colon. There is no "bag". Everything was put back together "inside" and works. The only thing she cannot eat is popcorn. Consult a colo-rectal surgeon. See if there is any possibility of having the J-pouch surgery. If you could, you would never need a colonoscopy again!!!!